Action Alert! CPSC to develop rules for SxS’s

Action Alert!  Side by Side owners and enthusiasts need to stand up and be heard.  Now I don’t have a huge interest in (ROVs) Side by Sides but here is a link to a preformed response that will be sent to the Office of the Secretary, CPSC. Personalize the message all you want. The Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA) have made it easy to take just a minute or two to voice your opinion.  Follow this link to the Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA) Link to personalize your message

Quick Tip, Homemade number plate

I got the inspiration for this blog from a question that was asked in our own ATV Magazine Forum.  A forum member needed a solution for a quick, cheap, and easy number plate so he could participate in a race coming up soon.  Here is my condensed response.

Materials needed:

White 5 gallon plastic bucket (can probably found in the trash or thrift store)

Tin snips, heavy scissors, or grinder with cut off wheel (basically any tool that will cut thick plastic)

High temp heat gun or propane torch (use caution with the torch!)

400-600 grit sandpaper (optional, for prepping the plastic for paint)

Spray paint (optional, depending on if you need the back round color other than white)

Process:

Start off by cutting out the desired shape of the number plate from the side of the plastic bucket.  Once you have the shape the way you like it, carefully take the heat gun or propane torch and gently heat the plastic to make it malleable. Keep the heat source moving to prevent melting or burning, take your time and be patient. Once the plastic is malleable start to flatten out the piece using the heat when necessary as the plastic cools. Once the plastic is as flat as you can get it, set a heavy block on top and wait about an hour or so for the plastic to fully cool. The heavy block will keep the plastic from having a “memory” and curling up on you. It must be noted that it will be nearly impossible to create a perfectly flat piece of plastic, but it will be flat enough for mounting on the ATV.

Now comes the optional part of the process.  If you chose not to buy a $7 pack of vinyl numbers here is a way to put numbers on your plate with a little bit of time and effort.  There are several ways to paint numbers on your plate, free hand, stencil, or masking.  I would advise against free hand unless you have a steady hand and can paint well with an artists brush.  Stencils can be picked up at most hobby stores but if your still too cheap to spend $5 on pre-made stencils you can make your own at home with items you already have. Using printer/copy/card stock draw and cut out numbers creating a “negative” that you can apply on the plate. Use the 400-600 grit sandpaper to rough up the plastic to give the paint something to “bite” into. Clean the plastic well before the next step. Using tape and some children’s glue sticks stick the stencil on the plate and paint over it using light coats (especially with printer paper as there is a risk of bleed through). After the paint is thoroughly dry, remove the stencil and clean off the glue with some isopropyl alcohol. You can also achieve the same effect by covering the entire plate with blue painters tape, then cutting out the number shapes (on the plate) with a sharp razor blade or hobby knife. Paint and remove the tape to complete the job. For extra protection you can use a clear coat over your finished work.

Don’t be stranded because of a broken clutch cable

For those of us that have machines with manual clutches operated by a cable you know that a broken cable on the trail can be the pits and in some cases leave you stranded.  This little tip can really get you out of a jamb.

Before your current clutch cable breaks, purchase a new clutch cable and install it next to the current.   Now you have a spare clutch cable at the ready if you need it.

Leave the spare clutch cable in place. Lightly lube the spare clutch cable. Seal the ends of the spare clutch cable with electrical tape, duct tape, or shrink tubing to keep water, mud and other debris out.

If you break a clutch cable while you are on the trail, just remove the broken one and install the new one.  Just remember to have the basic tools for the job.   This will keep you from terrorizing your transmission with clutch less shifts.

Quick Tip: Fixing a carburetor float

OK I know more and more ATV’s are coming equipped with EFI (electronic fuel injection), but the overwhelming majority of used machines in service still have carburetors.  The purpose of a carburetor float is to maintain the proper amount of fuel in the carburetor bowl for both the pilot circuit and main jet to draw fuel into the venturi from.  If you are experiencing fuel flowing out the overflow tubes (usually running out under the machine) its a good chance your float is sinking.  The chief reason the float sinks is that it over time it can get a pin hole leak, most commonly it happens around the solder joint where the float arm attach’s on a brass float, on a plastic float it happens where the brass arm is pressed onto the float bodies.  Either way the float bodies sink thus leaving the needle valve open letting unrestricted fuel into the bowl flooding the carburetor and in some cases running fuel straight into the cylinder washing down into the crankcase-”not good”.  What do you do?  Well if the float is still available from the OEM that is one route, although in some cases the part is obsolete.

 

Over the years working on vintage bikes I have come across a trick to fix obsolete floats or save money buying sometimes expensive OEM or NOS-OEM floats.  I have found a product called POR-15 (Paint Over Rust formula 15)   I actually stumbled across this “miss-application” by accident while using the product for rust prevention/elimination while doing automotive restorations.  I had been spraying panels and fender wells with the stuff and after trying to clean up recently dried POR-15 I found that all the solvents I tried would not dissolve this stuff including gasoline.  Well after ruining a spray gun, it got me thinking of a current motorcycle project I was working on (1973 Kawasaki 350 triple) that needed all 3 floats replaced and since the bike is somewhat rare and nearly all carburetor parts are obsolete, I dipped the floats into the POR-15 let it dry completely and then put them in a can with some gasoline overnight.  Sure enough the floats, floated and the POR-15 was intact and still hard.

 

The quick fix

 

So long story short, if your in need of a quick fix for a sinking float that is either very expensive or not available, try POR-15.  Note: the manufacture does not whats so ever claim this as an application nor recommend that its product be used in this manor, nor warranties it for this purpose. Use at your own risk.

For more information about POR-15 CLICK HERE

Yamaha’s new YZ engine design, will the YFZ benefit?

Regular readers of my articles know I am not an engineer, nor some fancy pants engine builder, I don’t claim to be either.  What I am is a motorcycle enthusiast with a side of ATV interest. (read my bio HERE )  So when the motorcycle side of the industry introduces a interesting new concept to mass production, my eyebrows raise and my mind thinks “Will this translate to ATV technology and design?”

 

Yamaha has pretty much shocked the motocross world with a complete redesign of their YZ450F motocross bike, especially in the engine department.  In a nutshell Yamaha has turned the engine (specifically the top end) back wards putting the intake in the front and the exhaust in the rear.  The cylinder is also offset from the crankshaft to maximize the transmission of the downward force on the compression stroke.  When you think about it, that is how it should have always been   Mass centralization is the name of the game as well as more power from the better flow characteristics.  Now this concept is not entirely new, Yamaha used this type of layout on their 2 stroke GP bikes in the 80’s.  Of course Cannodale used a similar layout as well as Huesaburg has their intake in the front although their engine is even more radical as it uses a stacked transmission (much like a sport bike).  Usually these types of radical departure from the norm either succeed or fade into obsucrity (a-la the CRF250 with its dual exhaust).

Why go into all this when the development is not even on an ATV?  Well much like my last blog entry, I want to ask the question,  When (and if) we will see this technology be translated over to the ATV world?  My personal opinion is “yes” but probably not for a few years.  However in saying that, why is it that sport ATVs generally lag behind in the performance development?  The only notable exception is with the LTZ450 having EFI before the motocross bike, but even that is a moot point as Gas Gas pioneered EFI on a dirt bike and ATV back in the early 2000’s. I am interested in your thoughts on the subject.  Leave a comment or discuss it on our own ATV Forum.

 

Suspension setup, stetting the sag

Of all the mechanical things that people “mod” on an ATV, suspension is one that seems to be the most intimidating.  It seems to me that most riders I meet are afraid to mess with all those funky clickety screw thingys and rings with teeth on them.  I cringe anytime I see an obviously over or under sprung machine improperly setup for the rider.  Improper setup can in some cases make the ATV down right dangerous to ride.  If they only knew how much better/faster the ATV will ride and handle after proper setup.  It is almost like they think they will “mess it up” or break the machine, which is far from what will happen, so they just ride it thinking the current setup is the best it can be.   It is possible to “mess it up” without some basic knowledge of where to start.

 

First off the owners manual (and certainly the service manual) will have a section on the suspension specific to your machine.  It will identify each adjustment and where  it is located.  If it is a “race” machine it may even have a brief section explaining basically what each adjustment will do along with a very brief section on what adjustments to make for certain conditions.  I will add that what instructions or “tips” they do give in the manual are very vague even for me (although I am no suspension guru but I know how forks and shocks work as well as how the adjustments affect handling)  That is why in this article I will go through the first and most important step in setting up and adjusting your suspension, Setting the sag.

Tools needed:

Tape measure (preferably with metric markings)

Spanner wrench for your shock adjuster ring(s) or substitute a hammer and long punch, rod or screwdriver (more on this later)

Permanent marker

Pen and Paper

A friend to help

All your normal gear you wear while riding including any bags, racks, or other accessories that you take with on the ATV.

The idea of setting the sag is so when your riding your using all the suspension travel of the machine.  In doing so, the machine will handle and ride to the best of its designed abilities.  The procedure works for link-aged, link-less and IRS (with some variations to the process).  Most modern machines have about 10 inches~(254mm) of travel in the rear (give or take), the ultimate goal is to set the preload of the shock(s) springs so when the machine is under load (fully laden with rider and gear) the machine is using about 33% of the total travel.  In the case of  a machine that has 10 inches~(254mm) the sag should be set at about 3 3/8 inches~(84mm).

Step 1: Determine what your total suspension travel is for your machine.  This can usually be found on the INTERNET, service manual, owners manual, and sometimes the sales brochures.  Multiply the total listed travel of the suspension (rear) by .33 (33%) this will give you the approximate measurement for the sag you will want to achieve.  Write this down on a piece of paper for later.  This is where using metric units becomes easier and more accurate.

Step2:  With the ATV on a flat level surface (concrete floor).  Lift the rear end of the ATV off the ground and gently set it back on the ground.  The ATV should sag slightly under its own weight.  If it doesn’t this is an initial sign that the preload is set too tight or the spring is too stiff for the machine.  Unladen sag should be around 1/2 inch~(15 mm).

Step3:  Without disturbing the machine, measure from the floor to somewhere on the sub-frame.  A good place is on the grab bar.  Make a mark with a magic marker where you took your measurement as this is where all your subsequent measurements will be taken.  The actual location is some what irrelevant as long as you measure in the same place each time.  For better accuracy the tape measure should be as perpendicular to the floor as possible.  Write this down on the piece of paper.

Step4:  Gear up with all your gear you normally wear or take with you while riding your ATV.  This includes any bags, hydration packs, or racks.  Also it is best to have at least 1/2 tank of fuel.  Gently get on the machine trying not to bounce the suspension.  Sit in your normal riding position.  Have your helper measure from the floor to the mark you made previously and write down the measurement on the paper.

Step5:  Now subtract the laden measurement from the unladen measurement (Step3 – Step4 = current sag).  This gives you the current sag.  Write this number down on the paper.  If this number is the same or very close to the ideal sag number you calculated in step 1 you are done and the sag for you on your machine is correct, if not continue to step 6.

Step6:  In step 5 you determined if you had too much sag or too little sag.  To adjust the springs preload either stiffer or looser depends slightly on the type of preload adjustment your shock has.  It is best to use the proper spanner wrench for the adjuster and locking ring, but if neither is available a hammer and long punch or screwdriver can work if you are careful.  Be sure to drive squarely on the “ears” of the adjuster rings.  Tighten or loosen the ring and repeat Step 4 and Step 5 until you achieve the proper measurement.  When you are all finished be sure to tighten the locking ring (screw type) before riding.

 

With the step type adjuster (found on most inexpensive and low performance machines) it may not be possible to get the adjustment spot on.  Also if you find yourself adjusting the spring all the way tight or all the way loose, in both cases this indicates you need to change the spring to the next softer or harder spring to achieve the correct sag,  Most modern screw type adjustable shocks have enough adjustment unless you weight less than 150#’s or more than 230#.

The procedure is essentially the same for IRS machines as well as the the front suspension on all ATV’s.  The only real difference is you have two shocks to adjust and they must be adjusted the same.

Now with your sag set up properly for your weight it should ride and handle much better and now you can go the next more complicated (and sometimes subjective) process of adjusting the “clickers” for the  damping, but we will save that for another day.

 

Chain drives, too tight, too loose???

Ever since the ATVs inception,  the chain drive (adapted from motorcycles) was and still is the most affordable, lightweight, most efficient and easily engineered type of final drive system.  Sure they get a bad rap for being maintenance hogs compared to other types of drive systems, but seriously how much time does it take to spray some lubricant on that chain every ride or so?  Well this article deal specifically about proper tension or tightness of the chain on your chain driven ATV.

Many people replace their chains prematurely because they have never had their chain in proper adjustment.  More often than not the chain is too tight causing undo stress on the chain, sprocket teeth, axle bearings and the counter shaft bearing and seal.  With proper adjustment you can extract the maximum life from all these components.

You can look in your owners or service manual for the proper amount of play, but real problem is where do you get that measurement and under what circumstances?  The manuals usually state that you take the measurement at the center of the chain up or down, but are generally ambiguous about if the ATV is on a stand or the ground under its own weight.  What follows is the procedure to find the proper measurement for YOUR specific machine, regardless what the manual says.

How the stated measurement in the manual is ascertained is the engineer measures the chains free play when the position of the swing arm, swing arm pivot and counter shaft make a straight line.  The chain will always be the tightest at this point in the arc that the axle moves.  The actual figure will always be between 1%-3% of the total length between the counter shaft and the center of the axle.

The following procedure will outline how to arrive at a measurement that you can use when the bike is on the ground under its own weight.

1. You must remove the shock to properly ascertain the proper adjustment stated above.  So while your at it now would be a good time to grease up those shock and suspension bearings and bushings.

2. With your machine on a stand or jack so the swing arm can be moved freely up and down.  Place another jack or blocks of wood under the swing arm until the axle, swing arm pivot and counter shaft line up in a straight line.

3. Measure the distance between the counter shaft and axle best you can.  Now if you were not asleep or wearing a dunce cap in math class, some simple math will be needed.  Take your measurement and multiply it by .02 (that is 2% in decimal form in case you slept through that too).  In the example above, 2% of 24″ (the distance between the two shafts) is .48″.  Dividing by 2 gives you the distance of the chain slack up or down, in our example .24″.

4. Adjust your chain adjuster on the axle (an eccentric on some machines) while having a straight edge on the chain long enough to span from the counter shaft sprocket to the rear sprocket.  Adjust until you have the measurement you came up with in step 3 in the center of the chain.  Tighten the axle nut or adjusters and recheck as things tend to move a bit when you tighten them up.

5.  Now that you have the proper tension set at the most taught spot in the suspension arc.  Replace the shock and put the machine on the ground.  Now your chain will be tensioned properly.  BUT WAIT!!! your not done!

6. To keep from having to remove the shock each time you want to check or adjust the chain, build yourself a GO/NO GO gage out of a block of wood.  Mark a position on the top of the swing arm where you will always take your measurement.  A good place is just at the end of the chain slider.

7. Measure the distance from the top of the swing arm to the underside of a link on the chain while holding the chain taught(up).

8.  Take a block of wood and make an “L” shaped notch that is the exact dimension you measured in step 7.

There you have it!  An easy way to check to see if you chain is out of adjustment without having to remove your shock every time.  And now you can rest assured that your chain and sprockets will last as long as possible.

Exhaust it’s a gas, gas, gas

It is no secret to seasoned riders and mechanics that an internal combustion engine is just a large air pump, air goes in and air goes out – in between there is the nifty combustion that does the “work”.  It is also no secret that the more efficient you can move the air through this “pump” the more efficient the engine is at doing the “work”.  In this article I will break down some of the theory, physics and even some misconceptions about the exhaust.

First a very brief introduction.  The exhaust system is designed to evacuate gases from the combustion chamber quickly and efficently. Exhaust gases are not produced in a smooth stream.  Exhaust gases start as pulses from the opening and closing of the exhaust valve(s). For example, a 4 cylinder motor will have 4 distinct pulses per complete engine cycle, a 6 cylinder has 6 pules and so on. The more pulses that are produced, the more continuous the exhaust flow.  Some terms that are associated with exhaust(s) are: Velocity, Backpressure, and Scavenging.

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Stripped thread, don’t fret

This article builds on some tips and tricks from my Removing damaged fasteners  article.

Stripped threads are something that strikes fear in even the most seasoned mechanics.  Stripped threads will have the novice do-it-yourself-er nearly breaking down in tears.   Of course stripped threads seem to always crop up or happen at the most in-opportune times and places.  Its always that last fastener that is either a frequently inserted and removed (ie. drain/fill plug) or the last fastener required to finish the assembly.  A stripped thread stops you dead in your tracks, unless you have a plan.  In this article I will discuss a few methods for common thread repairs.

Causes: Stripped threads are caused by a few things but are most commonly caused by two issues.  Issue 1: Dissimilar metals being screwed together, in the example of the drain plug, usually the case is aluminum and the plug is steel.  The steel plug wears the aluminum threads out from repeated in-and-out over time as steel is harder than the soft  low grade aluminum used in engine cases.  Issue 2: Over torqued or tightening of the fastener thus tearing the threads out of the hole.

Remedies: The first one is obvious, tighten and torque the fastener to the proper spec outlined in the service or owners manual.  Next would be to use ant-seize compound regularly to help lubricate the threads going in and coming out.  This also prevents electrolysis and corrosion from the contact of dissimilar metals
Thread inserts:

Invariably the threads are stripped so you need to replace them with new.  There are several ways to do this, from drilling a larger hole and tapping it for a larger fastener, but in the case of a drain plug for example there may not be enough material left to do that or it is just impractical.  Here is where thread inserts come into play.  There are two major brands Heli-Coil and Time-Sert,  essentially both of the end results are the same-brand new threads the exact same size as the original.  Each type requires drilling out a slightly bigger hole (removing the existing threads) and tapping the “new” hole for the insert to thread into and lock in place.  Now you have instant new threads. 

Now to the first timer this will seem intimidating, but take your time and follow the directions.  Below are some tips for the first timer.

Tips: Use a thick grease on the drill bit and tap to collect most of the metal filings from falling into places you don’t want them.  Go slow with the drill to make sure you are as straight as possible.  Work the tap in and out until you create the new threads for the insert, trying to thread it one time all the way through can risk breaking the tap and then you have a real mess as it will be nearly impossible to remove.

Reducing blistering hands

Its a fact of life for most ATV riders, blistered hands.  If your not having problems with blistered hands then your probably not riding hard enough!  All joking aside it is a real problem even if you ride infrequently.  This article will introduce some tips on how to mitigate or in some cases eliminate blistered hands.

First blisters main cause is from moisture either from your perspiration or if you ride in wet conditions combined with friction on the grip or glove.  The ultimate solution is to eliminate either one of the causes. As most know it is nearly impossible to do that.  Here is some advice to lessen the effects on both causes.

First and most obvious is if your not wearing purpose built riding gloves, get some.  The purpose built gloves are designed with padding and materials that wick moisture (sweat) away.  Riding gloves are also ventilated to keep your hands cooler thus reducing how much your hands will sweat.  To work properly they also must fit properly so try on a few different brands and sizes.   As I stated in my other blog post gloves are pretty inexpensive.

If you already have a good pair of riding gloves that fit properly, the next thing you can try is using some type of talcum (or baby) powder also “Gold Bond” type powders can work well also.  I have also read that some people have good luck with aerosol type anti-perspirant problems if sprayed on the hands.

If you already have developed some blisters a quick remedy to alleviate them from developing further is using a similar treatment of foam pads for your feet.  Using athletic tape and pads designed for corns and bunions you can make some temporary padding to keep blisters from forming or mitigate the pain of them breaking open while riding.

Also swapping the grips from a hard compound to a softer or even gel style grip can ease the possibility for blisters.  This is personal preference of course.

Another remedy is more of a change in technique on how you ride.  More specifically a change in technique in how you hang onto the bars.  When it all possible loosen your grip on the bars even if its for a second or two.  This allows some air circulation as well as relaxes your skin and muscles to prevent the moisture from sitting between your skin and glove/grip.  This also helps mitigate another common problem for people “arm pump” (tightening/soreness of the muscles in the forearm) but that is another topic for another day.  Gripping the bars too tightly is a hard habit to break because at early stages when people are learning to ride (regardless of age) the natural instinct is to grip them tightly to maintain control.  Experienced riders and racers know that to control the machine doesn’t require gripping the bars tightly all the time while riding so most loosen their grip over jumps or down straights where the machine is fairly stable  on its own.

Well there you have it a few “home remedies” for a common problem.  Like the common cold there is more than one treatment for the problem and I am sure there are others, so if you have a good remedy that works for you post it in the comments area.  Remember the less fatigue you have while riding the faster and longer you can ride.

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